Gkraphite-eeeding device eor engines



6.1. BECHTEL. GRAPHITE EEEIIING DEvIcE EUR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24| i918.

Patented Oct. 21,- 1919.

E I. I! n mi I I A INVENTR CCZeGZ'eZ WITNESSES ATTORNEY CONRAD JACOB BECHTEL, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

GRAPHITE-FEEDING DEVICE FOR ENGINES.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CONRAD J. BECHTEL, a citizen of the United States, residin at Sandusky, in the county of Erie and tate 5 of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Graphite-Feeding Device for Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to a graphite feeding device for engines, and is designed to supply graphite to the valves and pistons of an engine in minute quantities whereby to smooth contacting surfaces, reduce friction and render the running of the engine easier and smoother.

'and explosionengines but for purposes of simplicity of description it will be considered that the device is applied to an eXplosion engine, vand especially an explosion engine ofthe multi-cylinder type, without, however, limiting the use of the invention to such an engine or precluding its use in steam engines of either the single or multicylinder type.

The invention comprises a receptacle of relatively small size,fcapable of holding an ounce, more or less, of graphite in powdery form and especially theV kind of graphite known commercially as fine flakek graphite. The receptacle is constructed for attachment to the intake manifold of a gas engine, say at or near the point lwhere the manifold diverges to i'eacli-thecylinders. Associated with the receptacle is an elasticallyl held needle valve entering the outlet of thereceptacle but at no time closing it, `the arrangement being such that the valve is agitated Vby the suction of the engine and is so adjusted as to permit minuteiquantities of graphite to flow through the intake valves into the cylinders, depositing upon the contacting surfaces of the valves vand upon the walls of the cylinders where engaged by the pistons, Athis producing a good fit of the valves and a smoothness of the cylinders contributing to the prevention ofleakage past the pistons. T lie device is intended for Y Y occasional use, say once or twice aweek in an explosion engine and at greater intervals in a steamengine.

The invention will be `best understood from a consideration of ther following detailed description taken'in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of VSpecification of Letters Patent.

yApplication led July 24, 1918. Serial No. 246,520.

The invention is applicable to both steam Patented oet.- 2i, i919.

to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed and modified so longas such changes and modii'cations mark no materialV departure from the salient features of the invention as eX- pressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure l is an elevation of the device applied to the intake manifoldof an eXplosion engine.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal diametric section engine whether such manifold be of the particular shape indicated or some other appropriate shape.

For attachment to the manifold at or near the point where the manifold branches to the different cylinders of the engine there is attached a'cup 2 shown in the drawing` as in the form of a cylinder with one end open and the other end closed by a head 3 which may be madev integral vwith the cylinder. Where the head 3 joins the cylinder 2 it is exteriorly of hexagonshape, as indicated at 4L, for the application of a suitable tool such as a wrench, although it will be understood that such particular shape is not obligatory. The head 3 is also formed with a nipple 5 which may be of exterior taper form to screw into a suitably threaded socket, the taper form being a customary shape to permit a tight joint. AXially through the head 3 is a passage 6 of relatively small size and constituting a bore through the nipple That end of the interior of the cylinder 2 located at the head 3 is tapered, asl indicated at A7, the taper leading kinto the passage or bore 6. Since the device is customarily used in an upright position fine graphite contained in the cylinder or cup Q will readily gravitateto the bore 'lfor escape therethrough. i

Applied to the open endv of the cupY 2,"

which is eXteriorly threaded as indicated at 8, is a head or lCap Qiiite'riorly screw-threaded Vto lit the threaded end 8 of the cup 2.

- The cap 9 has' an axially extended neck l0 of which' one end il is interior to the esiti*V ing may Y be quite material.

to the head 9 terminates in screwthreads 13'Y for receiving a gland 14 for confining packing 15 against the threaded end 'of the neck 10.

Extending axially'through the gland '14, neck 10 and cup 2 is a stem 16 provided at the outer end with a head 17 and at the other end tapering, as indicated at 18, and there entering the passage or bore 6. rlhe stem 16 is provided with a collar 19 mo fable within the neck 10 and surrounding the stem between the collar 19 and the fiange 12 is a coiled spring 20 so arranged as to normally hold the collar 19 against the packing 15, in which position the taperend or needle point 18 is within the bore 6. rfhe diameter of the stem 16 is slightly less than the diameterv of the bore 6 so that the stem at its pointed or needle end may fully enter the bore 6 without complet-ely filling it, it having been found in practice that a clearance of, say one-hundredth of an inch more or less will answer.

The nipple end 5 ofthe head 3 may be l screwed directly into the manifold 1 or it may be carried by a screw coupling 21 in turn carried by a short nipple 22, which latter is screwed into the manifold 1. 1n case of a steam engine, where there is back pressure, the coupling 21 may be replaced by any suitable valve device which may be closed when found advisable. Such a valve device, indicated at 23 in TEig. 3, may be used with the graphite holder when applied to an ez'- plosion engine, since it may be found advisable at times to cut off communicationy between the graphite holder and the interior of the manifold l. V

When the explosion engine is ruiming, suction is produced by the pistonv in each cylinder and a few particles of the fine graphite are drawn into the manifold andL into the cylinder where the suction is produced. The result is that the graphite is distributed to each cylinder, passing first through the intake valve, wherefore, the contacting portions of the valves and their seats become more or less coated with graphite and thewalls of the cylinders and pistons also become coated with graphite. The effect of this is that carbon does not find lodgrnent on the valves and their seats where contacting and carbon does not accumulate on the cylinder walls, Wherefore, good compression and smooth running of the pistons is insured. This contributes materially to the running of the engine by reducing friction and leakage, and, consequently, greater power is obtained than heretofore. Since the valves close tightly and the pistons 'run smoothly the reduction in friction and leakage results in a saving in fuel, which savremoving the head or cap 9.

Vhile the valve stem 16 is agitated by the, suction of the engine and usually the flow of graphite is uniform because of such agita-tion, sometimes a stoppage of the graphite might occur due to the packing of the i graphite, and, in such case, such stoppage may be remedied by pressing on the head 17 tol move the needle end 18 of the valve deep into the passage 6, as shown in Fig. 3.

At suitable intervals, say once or twice a week in the 'case o'f an explosion engine and at longer intervals in case of a steam engine, the cup or receptacle 2 vis filled with graphite,preferably.fine flake graphite, by

Then on restoring ythe cap 9 to its place on the cup 2theV device is ready for operation. lBy the time an explosion engine has been run for a few minutes, say fifteen or twenty minutes, the cup or receptacle 2 is emptied and the graphite is distributed over the intake valves, over the interior ofthe engine cylinders and also over the contacting'l faces of the exhaust valves.V The supply of graphite so deposited will answer for a'considerable period of time, varying with the use lof the engine, and experience will show how often there should =be applications of graphite to keep the engine in perfect ruiming condition.

rlhe invention has still other advantages in that `the lubricating qualities of the graphite prevent wear that frequently occurs in explosion engines 1n the absence of the graphite and consequently the life of -the engine is correspondingly prolonged,

and the amount of lubricating oil required 1s greatly reduced. Also, the graphite keeps the spark plugs clean and renders the use of kerosene as a fuel more successful than when the graphite is not provided.

1. The combination with the fluid intake of an engine, of means yfor the application of graphite to the valves and cylinders of the engine, comprising a receptacle for the graphite attached to the intake and provided with an outlet passage leading to the'intake, and a. stem with a tapering end incompletely closing the outlet passage ofthe receptacle and elasticallv yieldable to the suction of the engine, said stem and outlet being proportioned to permit minute quantities of graphite to escape from the receptacle under the suctionv of the engine.

2. A' device for feeding graphite to ythe valves and cylinders of an engine, comprising a cup or receptacle having one end provided with a reduced outlet passage and otherwise closed, a removable head for the other end of the receptacle, said head having a neck extending into and out of the receptacle withy the inner end of thel neck reduced in diameter, a packing gland at the outer end .ofthe neck, a valvel stem extending through the packing gland and neck and also through the receptacle and entering the outlet of the receptacle with the stem of less diameter than said outlet, and a spring in the neck surrounding the stem and normally tending to hold the stem at one limit of its travel, said stem being capable of reciprocation within the outlet of the receptacle.

3. A device for feeding graphite to the valves and cylinders of an engine, comprising a cup or receptacle having one end provided with a reduced outlet passage and otherwise closed, a removableJ head for the other end of the receptacle, said head having a neck extending into and out of the receptacle with the inner end of the neck reduced in diameter, a packing gland at the outer end of the neck, a valve stem extending through the packing gland and neck and also through the receptacle and entering the outlet of the receptacle with the stem of less diameter than said outlet, -and.a spring in the neck surrounding the stem and normally tending to hold the stem at one limit of its travel, said stem being capable of reciprocation within the outlet of the receptacle, and where entering the outlet being of tapered or needle valve construction.

a. A device for feeding graphite to the valves and cylinders of an engine, comprising a cup or receptacle having one end provided with a reduced outlet passage and otherwise closed, a removable head for the other end of the receptacle, said head having aneck extending into and out of the receptacle with the inner end of the neck reduced in diameter, a packing gland i,at the outer end of the neck, a valve stem extending through the packing gland and neck and also through the receptacle and entering the outlet of the receptacle with the stem ofless diameter than said outlet, and a spring in the neck surrounding` the stem and normally tending to hold the stem at one limit of its travel, said stem being capable of reciprocating within the outlet of the receptacle, and where entering the outlet being of tapered or needle valve construction, the other end of the stem being formed into a manipulating head exterior to the receptacle, whereby the needle end of the valve may be pushed into the outlet to the full travel of the stem permitted by the complete compression of the spring.

5. A device 'for feeding graphite to the Valves and cylinders of an engine, comprising a receptacle with means for attaching it to the engine and having an outlet bore or passage for directing the graphite into the engine, and a reciprocatory elastically mounted stem traversing the receptacle and entering the outlet passage with said stem at the outlet passage being of progressively less diameter than saidvpassage in the direction of entrance thereinto so as to move into the passage without closing but progressively reducing the latter, whereby the valve may be reciprocated yin the outlet passage without at any-time fully closing the latter and at all times permitting the escape of minute quantities of graphite from the receptacle under the action of the engine.

6. A device for feeding graphite to the valves and cylinders of an engine, comprising a receptacle with means for attaching it to the engine `and having an outlet bore or passage for directing the graphite into the engine, and a reciprocatory elastically mounted stem traversing the receptacle and entering the outlet passage with said stem at the outlet passage being of progressively less diameter than said passage in the direction oi" entrance thereinto so as to move into the passage without closing but progressively reducing the latter, whereby the stem may be reciprocated in the outlet passage without at any time fully closing the latter and at all times permitting the escape of minute quantities of graphite from the receptacle under' the action of the engine, said stem having a range of travel in excess of its reciprocatory travel under the action of the engine for clearing the outlet passage in the event of the latter being choked.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aixed my signature.

CONRAD JACOB BEGHTEL.

Witnesses:

PHILIP DIETRICH, JOHN P. STEIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

